Testosterone Deficiency

[DICKIEC]

I'M 66 AND HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH LOW TESTOSTERONE FOR YEARS. HAVE BEEN ON ANDROGEL WHICH GIVES ME DAILY DOSE OF 50 MG IN A 5 G PACKET. PROBLEM I HAD WAS THE COST, SO WENT TO DR. AND WAS TOLD THE SAVINGS ON INJECTIONS. HAD NO PROBLEM WITH IT, SO HE WROTE A PRESCRIPTION FOR TESTOSTERONE CYPIONATE, TO BE INJECTED 1CC EVERY 4 WEEKS.MY LIBIDO WENT DOWNHILL FAST AND MY WIFE BEGGED ME TO CALL AND GET BACK ON ANDROGEL. I DID AND THE DIFFERENCE WAS IMMEDIATE.
MY QUESTION IS, SINCE I'M TRYING TO ROUND UP SOME INFO FOR MY NEXT DR. VISIT IN A COUPLE DAYS, IF ANYONE HAS HAD THE EXPERIENCE, HOW MUCH CYPIONATE SHOULD BE INJECTED TO EQUAL WHAT I GET FROM ANDROGEL?

[Nurse101]

You never mentioned your lab results. I'm assuming you have had bloodwork done. That would give a clear picture as to where your Testosterone levels are during your injection therapy. Thus, giving a better way to monitor your dosing. Most men receive Testo injections every 2 weeks. The dose is titrated based on lab results. You should be having a free and total Testosterone level drawn 2 days before your next injection is due, and again 2 days after you receive your injection. Also, with a Hematocrit level to be sure these injections are not interfering with you red blood cells. This labwork is the only way to gauge what your dosing amount and frequency should be.

[r1013]

Most doctors give 200mg of testosterone every other week IM. This will give you high levels of testosterone (probably higher than normal) and then bring you crashing down before your next shot. Whats worse is that a lot of that excess testosterone will get turned into estrogen, making your test/estrogen ratio way off. This will have you feeling worse than when you ever started TRT. Estradiol should be around 22 and testosterone in the mid to upper normal.

I have no idea how to compare the amount of Gel vs shot mg etc... I do know a good place to start with injections is probably 100mg wk of Test divided into two separate doses. Maybe like Monday and Thursday. You could do it yourself and use a smaller insulin needle. If that doesn't work try 150/wk and then 200/wk. Waiting maybe?? two months between each for testing. Remember to stop shots a week before you get blood test.

Doing it that way makes it less likely to there is an excess of testosterone to be turned into Estrogen. It keeps you on a more even playing field with less ups and downs.

Once your levels are at mid to high normal adding HCG is recommended.

HCG prevents atrophy of the testes. If you don't add that, in the long term, irreversible tissue damage may take place.

Testicles are very important as they make pregnenolone (used in the brain for the production of neural steroids), progesterone , DHEA, androstenedione, and many other hormones.

You said your libido went down hill fast. Your Estradiol may have well been to high. You could have a testosterone of 1000!! and no libido if your Estradiol is high. The higher it goes the more at risk you are for a HA or stroke also. If you do have high Estradiol and frequent shots won't bring it down you may also need an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) which will help prevent testosterone being converted to Estrogen.

Google (Dr John Crisler) for some pretty good advice on this.

[RANDO88]

I have been on TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) for about 4 months now. I give self injections of 100 mg twice weekly of testosterone cypionate instead of 200 MG once per wk. (54 yrs. old-193 total testo--2.20 ng free testo when I started) I found that I was sluggish at the end of the week after taking only 1 injection. As for taking an anti-aromatase (Arimidex) or a anti-estrogen (Nolvadex) I found that unnecessary at this amount of testosterone. Dr Eugene Shippen (The Testosterone Syndrome) and Dr. E Barry Gordon ([moderator note: website address has been removed]) both recommend taking Zinc supplements as a natural anti-estrogen. So far this has worked very well for me. You mention using a small insulin syringe for an IM injection. The smallest syringe that I have found to draw and inject test. cypionate IM is a 23 gauge 1 and a half inch needle ( I don't think an insulin syringe would work) My testosterone levels now are around 750 total T,estogen is low/normal, and I feel much better. The gentleman that started this post stated he was 66 yrs. old. Chances are he may need to be on TRT from now on, as we all lose testo production as we get older. Even at 54 yrs. old I have no problem continuing T replacement, as it has greatly improved my life in many ways. One last point-I tried Androgel and found it very expensive- I feel that the self injected testosterone cypionate is easy after the first couple injections and works lots better. Best of Luck!

[r1013]

Your right, Androgel is very expensive. It would cost me about as much for a 1 month supply of of the gel as 5 months of regular test.

The insulin syringe I use is 29 gauge 1/2". It takes about 30 sec to draw of the test. I use Watsons Test if that makes a difference. I mostly use the upper outer thighs.

Zinc supplements as well as grape seed work as natural anti-estrogen. From what I have read none will work as effectively as Arimidex.

When my test was 300 my estrogen was 42. If I got my test up to 1200!! as long as my estrogen remained above 22 I would remain foggy headed, no sex drive, and have short term memory loss. That one reason Arimidex is essential for me.

[Abbey]

My husband was on the injections too but his libido went nuts, every woman was attractive to him' I joked that it was like he had on beer goggles a few days after he took the injection. He is now using a cream from vienue and feels allot more balanced. I am on the woman's formula and love it.
Visit vienue.com and read the success stories.
Hope this was helpful.